Investigating a cultural product: Folk art in K--12 art curricula

This study focused on the role of folk art in the K--12 cultural curricula. The purpose of the study was to explore the history and background of folk art, and to investigate the attitudes and opinions of art educators toward folk art. It was also conducted to determine ways that folk art could be taught in art education by focusing on how educators integrate folk art into their curricula.;Qualitative inquiry was the major approach for this study. Twenty seven in-service and nineteen pre-service art teachers participated in the study. Data were generated from September, 2002, to October, 2004.;The findings of this study contribute to the base of folk art education research. It provides research on folk art education history and theory, the attitudes and opinions of art educators toward folk art, ways that art teachers teach folk art and the difficulties that they are experienced. Some practical ways to integrate folk art in art education were also generated.;Since the onset of globalization and frequent cultural exchanges, integrating folk art into the educational system could definitely help students broaden their multicultural awareness and reinforce their worldview for life. If we want to raise the role of folk art in art education and make it competitive with other subjects, we need to modify our curriculum and enable a change in art teachers' attitudes. From the findings, it was determined that in order to integrate folk art into the curriculum, it needs to be included in pre-service courses and professional development for art teacher. It was also found that art textbooks and programs that are currently used need to be revised in order to include a much broader spectrum of art activities, including folk art. Inclusion of folk art could expand the educational base and help students develop wider cultural and world views. In addition, educational programs need to foster more opportunities for teachers to study abroad or to provide more cultural exchange programs with other countries. This would help teachers understand more about the folk art in other countries, and thus, its cultural relevancy provide a broaden art education for their students.